Latest Articles
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Rockets’ Red Scare
California First State to Announce Perchlorate Limits Last week, California regulators announced a “public health goal” that will lead to formal regulations restricting levels of perchlorate — a toxic chemical used in rocket fuel that damages thyroid glands — in the water supply, thus becoming the first state to define such standards. The recommendation, 6 […]
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Ready to Grumble
Congressional Leaders Chastise EPA Over Lead Contamination A bipartisan group of congressional leaders criticized the U.S. EPA yesterday in a letter for its handling of the Washington, D.C., lead-contamination crisis and called on the agency to strengthen its rules governing lead in drinking water. Embattled D.C. officials, struggling to react to findings of widespread lead […]
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The Little Engine That Couldn’t Quite
French Inventor Builds Air-Powered Car Guy Negre, an inventor working out of an industrial park on the French Riviera, has developed a car that runs entirely on compressed air, producing only cold air as exhaust. While he’s attracted a number of investors and received a flurry of media attention, enviros shouldn’t dream airy dreams just […]
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Sunday in the Park With George W.
National Parks Face Crippling Budget Shortfalls Two reports released this week document severe underfunding of U.S. national parks and warn that drastic budget shortfalls will affect park safety and visitor enjoyment. Two parks advocacy organizations — the National Parks Conservation Association and the Coalition of Concerned National Park Retirees — criticize the Bush administration’s parks […]
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Economic Restoration
Study Shows Ecological Restoration Boosts Economy Efforts at ecological restoration have added some $65 million and 300 jobs to California’s Humboldt County economy between 1995 and 2002, concludes a study released yesterday by the nonprofit social science firm Forest Community Research. Over the last 25 years, government agencies, tribes, landowners, private contractors, and environmental groups […]
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No Credit Where Credit Is Due
Wind Power Industry Idles, Waiting for Energy Bill After a three-year growth spurt that created more wind-energy capacity in the U.S. than came online in the two prior decades, the wind industry finds itself in an unwelcome state of suspension. Some $2 billion in economic development is on hold and thousands of jobs are being […]
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Arctic National Wildlife Rorschach
Energy Department Study Fuels Arctic Refuge Controversy A new Energy Department study on the prospect of oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge has both sides in the long-running controversy claiming vindication. According to the study, oil production in the refuge would peak in about 2025 and at that point would reduce U.S. dependence […]
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Grile-y Coyote
New Report Critical of Interior’s Griles Deputy Interior Secretary J. Steven Griles has repeatedly had dealings with mining and energy companies represented by his former lobbying firm, which is still sending him payments amounting to some $1 million over four years. While his actions signify an “institutional failure” to avoid the appearance of impropriety, they […]
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Dispatches from a field trip to study water systems in West Africa
Sarah Lynn Cunningham works for the Louisville and Jefferson County Metropolitan Sewer District in Kentucky, implementing the principles of the Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economies (CERES). This week, she’s doing reconnaissance in Tamale, Ghana, to assess ways to improve water and waste management. Tuesday, 16 Mar 2004 TAMALE, Ghana. My colleague Steve Hubbs, an environmental […]
